Rotary valve for internal-combustion engines



Jan 6, 1931.

c. M. 5mm ,181,451

ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Original Filed April 5,1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

Ci/ZSM TH BY a Q, 4TTORNEY Jan 6, 1931.

5:. M. sun-H ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL GQIBUSTION ENGINES Original FiledApri1'5, 192:5 2 Sheets-Sheet a I INVENTOR. C. M 5? I BY I TH

" ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 6, 1931 PATENT ()FFICE CLAUDE M. SMITH, OFMODESTO, CALIFORNIA ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINESApplication filed April 5, 1923, Serial My invention relates toimprovements in rotary valves particularly to the type in which a singlerotating member controls the admission of fuel to and the discharge ofburnt gases from the engine cylinder;

Anob-ject of theinvention is to provide a valve of the characterdescribed, which will cause the valve and the bearing to becomesimultaneously and uniformly heated throughout their entire, length,thus constantly. maintaining practically the same degree of expansion orcontraction of said members and insuring the proper fit at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary valve havingconnected inner and outer shells which may contract or expandindependently of each other both laterally and longitudinally. 7

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a valve of thecharacter described which causes the formation of aneffective'lubricating medium between the bearing surface of the valveand its seat.

I A still further object is to'provide a valve of thecharacter describedwhichin itself constitutes an intake and exhaust manifold in addition tofunctioning as a valve.

A further object of the invention is to pro- .Vide a valve whichrwillpermit the use of low gravity fuel for'starting the engine as well asrunning it. a

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage some ofwhich with the foregoing will be set' forth in the following descriptionof the preferred form of my invention, which is illustrated in thedrawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to beunderstood, however, that I do not limit myselfto the showing made bysaid drawings and description, as I may adopt variations of thepreferred form within the scope of my invention as set forth in theclaims.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, of one form of thevalve of my invention incorporated with an internal combustion engine ofthe multi-cylinder type.

5,0 Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section or No. 630,073. RenewedMay 28, 1930.

valve and engine taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, taken in the line 33 of Figure1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale, of the toleranceflange used for sealing one of the chambers of the valve.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the portion of the valve adjacentand including the exhaust port thereof.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the casing for the exhaust port.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the valve 2 is incorporatedwith vertical multi-cylinder internal combustion engine and is rotatablymounted in a bearing or bore 3 having transverse port openings 4: whichcommunicate with the interior of the cylinders 6. As here shown, thebearing is formed in the head 7 of the engine and is horizontallydisposed therein; it is obvious however that the location of its valvemay be changed, depending on the'type and design of engine to which itis applied, the number of cylinders, and various other factors.

The valve proper comprises a cylindrical shell casing 8 extendingpractically the full length of the cylinder, head and provided with aplurality of sets of intake and exhaust ports 9 and 10 associated witheach cylinder and adapted to intermittently register with the opening 4.

Preferably concentrically arranged within the shell 8 and held in spacedrelation with respect thereto is a cylindrical inner shell. 12 providedwith openings 13 which are aligned with exhaust openings 10 formed inthe outer shell. Two chambers or passages Li and 15 are thus defined bythe shells, viz., a straight passage 14: enclosed by the inner shell,and an annular passage 15 formed between the shells. The inner passage14 is utilized as an exhaust manifold. for the cylinders while the outerpassage 15 forms the intake manifoli'l. V Extending from each opening 10to its complementary opening 13 is a casing 17 adapted to resilientlyengage the corresponding sides of the openings'and thereby seal theexhaust chamber from the intake chamber. The casing is formed of asection of cylindrical tubing Whose resiliency is such as to cause it toconform to the shape of the openings, When inserted therein. The cauingis held properly positioned in the openings by means of smallprotuberances 18, preferably pressed in the material and engaging theadjacent sides-of the shel Owing tothe fact that the exhaust gases cconfined Within the inner shell and there-- fore cause the latter to beheated toacom paratively high temperature, Whilcthe outer shell due tohaving the comparatively cool intake gases on one side and the coolin'gefiect of the Water jacket19 of the cylinder head on the otherside,'there Will ordinarily beaconsiderable difference in thetemperatures of the respective shells. Howevensuchunequal temperatureand consequent"differences n'the'expansion and contraction ofth'erespective shells may take place Without cf fecting each other; This isallowed by reason of the fact that the casing 1'? connecting the shellsis resiliently rather than rigidly engaged. The factor aiding inmaintaining the seal of the casing under all conditions is that theexhaust pressure and intake suction on opposite sides of the casingboth-tend to press the casing against the sides of the open ing. Theforegoing effect-is aided by providing the casing 17 With-bevellededges'fll as shovvn in Figure 51 Means are provided 'for sealing,th'e'eiids of the intake chamber in 'a niannei."whic h Will permit theindependent expansion and contraction of'theshe'lls previously referredto Asfhere shown said means comprises tolerance members 23 nsertedbetween the shells and provided with resilient flanges 24 which pressradially-in opposite directions against the opposed faces ofthe shells.Pins 25; or the like slidably mounted in and pass a ing through themembersj23 and the shells I prevents rotative movement of oneSllEllWl'tll respect to the iother, andstill permit theirr dependentexpansion and contraction of the shells 1 I The outer shell and thevrallof the hearing or bore in Whichitrotates are formed of the samematerials or materials l1af{i'iig*the same coefficients of expansionthereby insurii'ig the proper fit between the-shell in its bearing'at 7all temperatures; inthepresent embodiment vboth of said members areformed ofcast iron. Since the casing 17 andtolerance members ingrelatively high torsional "and tensile 23' allow the inner shell toexpand independently of the outer ,shell the inner'shell is preferablyconstructed of material hay strengths so as toprovide' the yalveWltlllllle necessary rig dity of structure.

In order to allow either shellto or displaced-longitudinally withrespect to the other during unequal linear expansion 'of the shells theouter shell is formed in tWo or more sections-.26 andf27 hich-"are bythe presence 'ofthe circulating be moved;

spaced longitudinally as at 28. Each of the sections is held on theinner shell entirely inde Jendent of the other, and furthermore they arepreferably fixed to the inner shell at but one point in theirlength-which as I here shown is effected by the pins passing throughthetolerance' members. Vith this construction not only is either shellpermitted to telescope on the other, but it provides for independentlongitudinal movement of one portion of outer shell With-respect to theother. It Will thus be clear that practically 7 cylinderthree of saidsets. In this manner the valve s'adapted to makevone-revolution for eachthree complete power strokes of any one cylinder. In View of the'foregoing the ralve here illustrated revolves at one-sixth the speedo-fthe crankshaft. As shown in Figure 1,-the driving of the valve may beeffected by means including a sprocket 32 vWhich may be driven by chainfrom the crankshaft and is mounted on an extension dof the inner shell.Since the engine here illustrated has four cylinders it is apparentthatwhen one exhaust port of thevalve registers Wlllll the openingcommunicatingwith a cylinderythe remaining eleven exhaust ports Wlll beinactive, but Will permit the exhaust gases discharged into or confinedin the exhaust'rnanif-old to come in directcontactwith its the bearingor bore Wall. Dueto this direct contact'of the exhaust gases With theirall of the bore, Whose temperature owing to the cooling: system tendsto remain lower thannlh.

the temperature of the outer shell, the tem-- ['perature of said wall israised to equal that of the outer shell which is heated largely by radiaion from the exhaust gases, it being noted inconnect on with theforegoing; that since the heating of the outer valve shell is thuseifec'tedjby radiationfrom the hot exhaustgases and such heating effectreduced fuel the temperature change through which the Wall of the'boremust beraised' to equal that of the saidcshell, is comparatively small.A114 other result of thisdirect contact. of the exhaustwith the bore orsleeye is that the Lee in temperature ofthe valve shell and sleeve ivilltakerplace simultaneously and irnniedi-h atelyupon the starting; of theengine. Still "another advantage of the multiplicity of idle ports isthat therpressur'e of the exhaust gas c s partially spent aga nst theshell casing 8T thereby diminishing the upward thrust of the valveagainst the bearing and preventing any undue wear of the upper portionof the bearii'ig. In this manner it \villbe clear that perfect ht of thevalve will be invariably '36 of the intake ports.

It will be noted that the valve of my invention is in effect a selfcontained intake and exhaust manifold, and by reason of the fact thatthe intake manifold completely surrounds the exhaust manifold, aneflective means of early volatilization of the incoming fuel prior toits entrance into a cylinder, is

attained. The further effectiveness of the foregoing is gained throughmeans of the many thin-walled exhaust port casings which are distributedthroughout the length and function to instanly transmit the exhaust heatto the fuel. By reason of such readiness on the part of the casings totransmit the exhaust heat, the effects of the exhaust will becommunicated to the incoming fuel gases directly with the initialexhaust of gases, there by permitting the volatilization of the fuelbefore the walls of the engine have become heated. In this manner thenecessity for using more than a priming charge of high grade fuel instarting, is overcome, and enablesthe engine to-operate on low gradefuel almost from thefirst explosion. In priming the manifold, Ipreferably introduce the priming mixture under pressure and in the formof a spray into the intake manifold and against the exhaust manifold,said mixture being preferably introduced into the valve through theopenings 29, by means of a conduit 34 leading from a containerindependent of the main fuel supply. As a contributing feature towardbetter volatilization, is the ability of my device to subject theincoming fuel to a high degree of turbulence or agitation, this beingaccomplished by the contact of the gases with the labyrinth of passagesdefined by the exhaust ports.

While in the present embodiment of the invention, the valve has beenadapted for use in connection with an internal combustion engine, it mayas a whole or in part be readily adapted for use in connection with aircompressors, steam and other engines.

I claim:

1. In a rotary valve for internal combustion engines, a. pair ofcylindrical shellspositioned one within the other and arranged in spacedrelation whereby an annular chamber is provided between them, annulartolerance flanges interposed between said shells and resiliently engagedtherewith to seal the ends of said chamber, and means associated withsaid flanges for preventing the rotation of one shell with respect tothe other.

2. In combination with a pair of cylindrical shells positioned onewithin the other and arranged in spaced relation whereby an annularchamber is defined between them, an annular tolerance flange interposedbetween said shells and resiliently engaged therewith to provide asealed partition for said chamber, and means associated with said flangefor preventing the rotation of one shell wit respect to the other.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, at Oakland, this 19thday of March,

CLAUDE M. SMITH.

